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Bernie Sanders endorses Ohio Issue 2 drug pricing measure

Updated July 24, 2017 at 4:11 PM;Posted July 24, 2017 at 10:55 AM

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday endorsed Issue 2 on Ohio's November ballot. The proposed law would require the state to spend no more on prescription drugs than the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday endorsed Issue 2 on Ohio's November ballot. The proposed law would require the state to spend no more on prescription drugs than the federal Department of Veterans Affairs. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

Last year Sanders endorsed a similar California measure, which failed 53 to 47 percent. As in California, the Ohio measure is funded by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

"Ohioans have the opportunity this year to take on the greed of the drug companies and significantly lower the cost of prescription drugs," Sanders said in a statement issued by the Yes on Issue 2 campaign. "Corporate greed has no place in the health and wellness of you and your family."

Sanders appears in a new 30-second ad supporting the measure but doesn't mention Ohio once. Campaign spokesman Dennis Willard confirmed the ad uses footage recorded last year during the California campaign.

Willard couldn't say Monday whether Sanders will visit Ohio to rally support for the measure or appear in future campaign advertisements.

"Sen. Sanders has committed to this issue and will be involved," Willard said in an interview.

Dale Butland, spokesman for opposition group Ohioans Against the Deceptive Rx Ballot Issue, said the "no on Issue 2" campaign doesn't need celebrities to get its point across. Butland, a longtime Democratic staffer and consultant, said he voted for Sanders in Ohio's primary and respects him, but Sanders is wrong on Issue 2.

"Everyone who has looked at this [proposed law] says it is bad public policy that would have the opposite effect of what is intended and could likely raise drug costs for a majority of Ohioans and reduce access to needed medications for our most vulnerable citizens," Butland said.